


how to care for your child

by chidorinnn



Series: Domestic Exorcists [3]
Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-05-14
Packaged: 2018-06-08 08:08:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6846445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chidorinnn/pseuds/chidorinnn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You fainted... straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention, you didn't have to go to such extremes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	how to care for your child

Despite what Takashi may have believed at the time, the truth of the matter was that Seiji and especially Shuuichi had no idea what they were doing. 

When Shuuichi thought hard enough about the issue – the Seiji- and Takashi-shaped issue that had landed straight into his living room just two weeks ago – it became painfully obvious that he and Seiji were just children, not even that much older than the child they were supposed to raise – nowhere near the parents that a boy like Takashi needed. 

Their daily schedule was supposed to go something like this: Takashi and Seiji left first for school in the morning, followed by Shuuichi heading off to work a few hours afterward; Seiji would pick up Takashi from school and they would come home together, and then wait for Shuuichi to join them later in the evening. Of course, there were days that Shuuichi would be able to come home earlier, or Seiji would have to stay at school longer to complete after-school duties, but the schedule still remained fairly consistent.

It was during one of the off days that Shuuichi became painfully aware that he and Seiji really had no business trying to raise a child. 

It happened just as Shuuichi was leaving for work, two hours later than he usually did because of a cancellation in his schedule. Takashi stumbled home at a time he surely was supposed to be at school, his face too pale. 

“Takashi-kun?” Shuuichi dropped to his knees so that he was closer to the boy’s level. Takashi wrapped his arms tightly around his torso, as if trying to hold himself together. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Instead of answering, Takashi tipped forward, and Shuuichi had to throw his arms around him to break his fall. Takashi’s skin was feverishly warm, and he was breathing too deeply. For a few slow moments that seemed to stretch out for eternity, Shuuichi couldn’t move. All he could do was sit there, completely at a loss for what to do with a unconscious Takashi slumped into him.

“Bed,” he muttered quickly to himself as he lifted Takashi into the air and hurried to the bedroom. It wasn’t until several minutes after Shuuichi laid him down in the wrong futon – Seiji’s – that it occurred to him that he should inform the agency of his absence. 

_Please excuse my absence for the day, the email read. My son_ – ”wait, no,” Shuuichi muttered irritably to himself as he backtracked, “the media would have a field day with that.”  _My younger brother is very sick, and I have to stay home to take care of him._

He didn’t even register pressing the “send” button. For a long moment, Shuuichi sat by Takashi’s side, his hands clenched tightly into fists. _The hospital… no, but… does Takashi even have an insurance card?_

Unsure of what else to do, Shuuichi waited.

* * *

“I’m home,” Seiji called as he entered the apartment. “Takashi-kun? Are you home?”

Takashi hadn’t been waiting at the usual spot outside the elementary school that afternoon. It wasn’t always a reason to worry – perhaps he’d run into an ayakashi and run home by himself. It certainly wouldn’t have been the first time. 

But by the genkan, there were two pairs of shoes instead of one. Seiji frowned – it was much too early in the day for Shuuichi to be home.

“Takashi-kun?” he called again, and received no response. 

There was a plastic bag sitting on the kitchen table that hadn’t been there when Seiji had left that morning for school, and the sink was nearly completely full with a variety of unwashed pots.

“I see.”

He made his way into the bedroom, and sure enough, Shuuichi and Takashi were there – Takashi, lying in Seiji’s futon with a wet rag lying on his forehead, and Shuuichi sitting next to him with his eyes fixed on him. “You know,” Seiji said slowly, crossing his arms, “usually, when someone comes in and says, ‘I’m home,’ you’re supposed to respond, ‘Welcome back.’”

“I’m a little busy here,” Shuuichi snapped.

Seiji slid to the floor, crossing his legs, and stretched his arms out behind him. “Relax. Takashi-kun isn’t going to die. This happens more often than you think.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Get used to it.”

“You–I could’ve–the place could’ve been _empty_ , and Takashi would’ve–”

“But the place _wasn’t_ empty,” Seiji said softly, patting Shuuichi gently on the knee. “You were here. You took care of Takashi-kun. It’s _fine_.”

“But–”

“Mm,” Takashi said as he stirred. His eyes fluttered open, and Shuuichi fell silent.

Seiji smiled. “So glad you could join us, Takashi-kun.”

“Are you all right?” Shuuichi demanded. “Does your head hurt? Do you feel dizzy? Nauseous?”

“I believe the term you are looking for here is ‘ _nauseated_ ,’” Seiji interjected.

“You know what I mean!” Shuuichi exploded.

“I’m sorry,” Takashi mumbled. “I… caused trouble for you, didn’t I?”

“Oh–no, of course not–why would you think–” Shuuichi spluttered.

“Well, if you wanted to attract Shuuichi-san’s attention,” Seiji said calmly, “there are less extreme ways than by fainting into his arms.”

“I’m sorry…”

“There’s no need to apologize, Takashi-kun,” Shuuichi said. “Actually, we’re the ones who should be apologizing. If we’d noticed sooner that you weren’t feeling well…”

Seiji exhaled slowly. “It would help,” he said, “if you’d simply told us the minute you started feeling unwell. Can you do that in the future, Takashi-kun?”

“Mm-hm,” Takashi said quietly.

Seiji smiled and pat him gently on the head. “That’s a good boy, Takashi-kun.”


End file.
